The Assembly meets today to take up the Governor’s budget repair bill, although it could be awhile before a final vote on the measure takes place.
Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) says Democrats are planning to bring “well over a hundred” amendments to the floor, as part of their efforts to protect collective bargaining rights for public employees and change other provisions in the bill.
Barca says it’s about more than just trying to delay a vote. He says Democrats have serious concerns about several parts of the legislation and they want to make sure they have a “full airing and discussion of these issues.”
Democrats have a number of tactics available to them to stall the process, beyond offering amendments. Those include introducing visiting constituents and calling for partisan caucus meetings. If debate goes too long, Barca says Republicans can always send them home for the night. He points out that, when the GOP was in the minority, Republicans frequently complained about votes that would take place in the middle of the night.
The Assembly is scheduled to meet at 11 Tuesday morning.